About McHenry County Animal Control

Contact info

About Our Shelter...

We're the municipal animal shelter for McHenry County, IL. Many wonderful pets are found as strays in the cities around McHenry County; we give them refuge at the shelter until their families reclaim them. Unfortunately some dogs, and a great many cats, are never reclaimed by their families.

If they aren't, we spay/neuter the cat or dog, give them all the necessary (age-appropriate) shots, and microchip them. They're then moved into our Adoption Center to wait for their new family to discover them!

(We also bring cats and dogs to off-site adoption events, including weekends at Petsmart in Crystal Lake, occasional weekends at On Angels' Wings Pet Adoption Center in Crystal Lake, and adoption events sponsored by the McHenry County Animal Welfare Coalition, of which we're a member.)

Donate to Our Shelter...

Friends of MCAC, 501(c)3 non-profit organization

Come Meet Our Pets...

We're located at 100 N. Virginia Street (at the intersection of Rt. 14 and Woodstock Street, 1 block south of Rt 176).

Our Pet Adoption Center is open 10:30 - 4:30 Monday - Friday (until 6:30 on Wednesday), and 10-2:30 on Saturday. We are closed on Sunday.

We also bring pets to many offsite adoption events; please follow us on Facebook for the latest news on where we'll be! (Search for McHenry County Animal Control Adoption Center on Facebook, or @McHenryCtyPets on Twitter.)

Our Adoption Process...

When you come into our shelter, you'll fill out a pre-adoption form (basic questions about your expectations as a pet guardian). After that form is submitted to the front desk, an adoption counselor will show you the pets you're interested in (dogs, cats). If you decide you'd like to adopt a pet, we'll ask you to fill out an Adoption Agreement form, pay the $80 adoption fee, and you'll be able to take your new family member home! (Please note - if you rent your home or apartment, you'll need an official letter from your landlord stating that you have permission to have a pet.)

Your new pet has already been spayed/neutered, microchipped, and has all age-appropriate shots. You'll also receive a certificate for a free first vet visit with a participating veterinarian, as well as information about welcoming the pet into your home, and first bag of pet food.

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Thank You!Your message has been sent to McHenry County Animal Control.

You'll receive a copy, too, at
to help you keep track of which pets you've inquired about, and which shelters and rescues you've emailed.

NOTE: Some shelters have physical locations you can visit; some of these shelters may only have pets for a limited time, so please do not wait for a reply—just go visit the shelter!
Other organizations are rescue groups run by busy volunteers who may take a while to reply. You can find information about the shelter or rescue group caring for this pet, and their adoption procedures,
on the pet's details page on Adopt-a-Pet.com.